- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.4T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
103kW, 200Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 6.5L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Holden Barina RS new car review
It’s been nearly a decade since the last of Holden’s sporty Barina SRi hot hatches shuffled out of the showroom without an obvious replacement.
Since then we’ve had two generations of Barina that, if we’re to be frank, haven’t been much chop to drive at all, even by the lowest of mainstream standards. At the same time the light-hatch segment has grown to become an absolute gold mine of hot hatchery, whether it’s VW’s classy Polo GTI and RenaultSport’s latest fiery Clio or Suzuki’s mild-but-fun Swift Sport and Ford’s invigorating Fiesta ST.
At face value, then, the new Barina RS looks to have its work cut out convincing spoiled buyers that it’s their best path to light-hatch driving nirvana.
What do you get?
Holden has steered away from a direct fight with the best light hot hatches, pricing the RS from $20,990 plus on-road costs. That’s $7800 cheaper than a new RS Clio, $6800 cheaper than a Polo GTI, $5000 cheaper than a Fiesta ST and cheaper even than the current value champion, the $23,990 Swift Sport.
Despite its bottom-scraper status, the RS scores the odd king hit against its costlier rivals. While the 103kW turbo 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (lifted from its bigger Cruze brother) has no answer to the sheer grunt of the Clio, Polo and Fiesta it squeaks out the pricier Suzuki for power and comprehensively out-twists it for torque. So it’s not bad news interms of go.
Then there are its standard toys, which include heated seats (either not available or optional in the other cars) and feature-packed seven-inch colour touch-screen infotainment system. Its five-star ANCAP safety package includes rear parking sensors (not fitted to the costlier Suzuki) and it looks suitably potent with its chunky stance, attractive 17-inch alloys, subtle badging and exclusive, eye-searing new ‘orange rock’ hue. Holden also caps the cost of servicing to $185 per visit for three years or 60,000km.
We’d like the RS more, though, if it could be had with a reversing camera, even as an option, while the infotainment system’s dedication to modernity (you get Bluetooth, USB/auxiliary inputs and inbuilt music streaming/internet radio/navigation apps but no CD player) could furrow the brows of dedicated Luddites.
Buyers, too, need to make sure they tick the box for the no-cost full-size spare option if they’d prefer not to just rely on a compressor and can of goo.
What's inside?
We’ve never been fans of the current Barina’s motorcycle-style analogue/digital dash binnacle, which stands proud of the dash and looks cheap and insubstantial, and it’s still there inthe RS. None of its other dash plastics set standards for lushness either.
The top Barina, though, is by far the most enticing of a compromised bunch with its chunky RS-badged leather steering wheel, red-stitched leather/alcantara seats, piano-black centre console and big seven-inch colour touch-screen system.
It’s also pretty close to the mark in terms of core functionality. The front-seat space is roomy, airy, filled with stash spots and the front seats are comfortable and quite supportive, if not quite as hip-hugging as those in more focused hot hatches.
The back seat, too, has the width, headroom and leg space to cater for more than just children. The 290-litre boot is competitively sized and – with the false floor in place and the back seats folded – you get a totally flat, box-shaped load space that’s well equipped to handle bigger items.
Under the bonnet
Holden’s 1.4-litre iTi turbo four might be a new engine for the Barina but there’s nothing really new in the way it performs. That’s a plus and a negative for the RS.
The good news is the top Barina feels much more muscular than cheaper models. The extra herbs are as appreciated on a twisty road, where it eats up straights with reasonable intent, as around town, where its great flexibility allows you to plug gaps and pull leads without resorting to high-rev histrionics. The standard six-speed manual we sampled is no paragon of slickness or speed but its stout, foolproof nature does allow you to effortlessly exploit the available performance.
The bad news is, just like in the Cruze, there’s no second wind to accompany that satisfying initial surge through its lower and middling rev ranges. What you get is an ever more strained feel and ever more booming soundtrack that invites you to steer clear of bouncing it off the tacho’s redline. Sporty it isn’t.
It’s not particularly thrifty either, with any number of more powerful rivals beating its official 6.5L/100km rating. On the plus side, it's a realistic claim (we managed a decent 6.8L/100km test average) and it sips regular ULP rather than premium like many light hotties.
On the road
If you’re of the opinion that a hot hatch must always be telepathically responsive and display exceptional finesse through the bends, then you might want to save up a little longer for some other, more costly alternative than the RS.
Still, if it isn’t quite a revelatory on-road experience it’s also far from bad news. The retuned steering might not be pin sharp but it is nicely weighted and usefully responsive. The Holden turns into corners faithfully, has a totally predictable balance, doesn’t roll too much and grips like it means it. It’s fun, just not fun with a capital ‘f’.
The payoff for this wider focus is less crash, bang and roar than your truly serious hot hatch. While the RS’s suspension can be caught out by really big or sustained bumps, and the tyres pipe up a bit on coarse-chip, it generally keeps its occupants quite well shielded from the outside world for such a small car.
Verdict
This is not only the best Barina but quite a likeable package by any measure. It looks good, goes okay, handles okay, is generously equipped, enticingly priced and should be easy to own and live with. If you want a light hatch that’s more compelling to drive and better equipped than mainstream and can’t go much beyond $20k it deserves serious thought.
If it were our $20k, though, we’d be tempted to sacrifice some gear and grunt for the superior class of VW’s Polo 77 TSI. Or, if driving fun mattered most, we’d be scrounging, saving and doing whatever necessary to get into a Fiesta ST, a light hot hatch on a completely different level to this worthy and welcome but not quite thrilling little Holden.
Vital statistics
How much? From $20,990
Engine: 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder. 103kW/200Nm
Fuel use: 6.5L/100km
Emissions: 153g CO2/km
What's it got: Six airbags; Stability control; ABS; Rear parking sensors; Air-conditioning; Cruise control; Trip computer; Heated front seats; Auto headlights; MP3 stereo; Bluetooth; 17-inch alloys